Going mental over exam stress?

By Miah Hammond-Errey

I could hear everyone writing furiously, causing my eyes to involuntarily flicker nervously up the aisle, my hands to sweat and the butterflies in my stomach swell outward making me feel seasick. My eyes bulged and my pen slipped out of my clammy hands as I began to read the paper in front of me. I need a cigarette.

The freak out began last week while planning the summer break, when Sam had asked how my study was going. The dream of hot babes dissolved. Study? I felt a little guilty even then, but I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I'd been surfing and hanging out with mates, study had escaped my radar. Jess didn't seem too worried, but her folks were pretty relaxed - and she was an artistic genius.

Shit. Mum was teaching me to drive and I promised I'd try. She'd be so disappointed if I failed. I'd tried a few times after that, I even read over my notes, but I knew before I got into the exam that I would fail, besides studying reminded me of what I hadn't done. My head pounded and I couldn't remember anything I'd read, even before I'd had the chance to write a single word. Pythagoras' theorem was about the only thing my brain could process, trigonometry made me nauseous and calculus made me dizzy.

Did you know that rational thought is one of many aspects of brain function affected by stress? A little bit of stress can be a great motivator, setting off a highly orchestrated sequence of events within the body.  Our brain activates the hypothalamus that sends signals to the adrenal medulla, which then releases chemical messengers (known as neurotransmitters) such as adrenaline.

The hypothalamus is responsible for maintaining the body's status quo, regulating factors such as blood pressure, temperature and body weight. The hypothalamus also stimulates its neighbour in the brain, the pituitary gland, which secretes hormones called corticosteroids that are responsible for deactivating 'non-essential' body functions to conserve energy. For example, it shuts down your immune response, sexual function and blood supply to some organs, like the skin and kidneys.

Too much stress can affect the body quite dramatically and when the stress is ongoing, such as the pressure of succeeding at study or work the hormones that sustain the body's response to stress manifest themselves in other ways, physical and emotional. Examples can include an increased risk of infection, high blood pressure, weight gain, skin problems, lack of sex drive, tiredness, lack of concentration, and even depression and suicidal thoughts.

Stress is pretty serious stuff!